This lens was standard
with most Nikon cameras in the 1970s. There are no sharper lenses made,
and today you can buy these for next to nothing since most people seem
to prefer slower, fuzzier zooms. It has less distortion than the f/1.4 version.

Personally
I don't like the 50mm focal length except for family photos. I use a 35mm as my "standard"
lens, and an 85mm as a short tele. I no longer even own any 50mm lenses,
and because many people don't, either, you can have these just about for
free.

Specifications

It takes
standard 52mm filters.

It has
a seven-bladed diaphragm that stops down to f/22.

It has
six elements in five groups.

Performance

It is very, very
well made.

It has no distortion,
unlike the f/1.4 version.

It is pretty good
at f/1.8, much better than the f/1.4 lens is at f/1.4.

By f/2.8 the image
quality is just about perfect.

This lens has just
about the best performance you can get for your Nikon.

Recommendations

Personally, even
a stick-in-the-mud like myself has given into the convenience of zooms,
and finds the 15 year old 28-85 f/3.5-4.5 AF lens just as sharp, and free
from distortion at the 50mm setting.

Because few people
want these lenses today you can pick them up for about $20, making them
one of the best deals in photography. They are very, very fine lenses.